Support Dartmouth College Aquatics Programs - Swimming and Diving and Water Polo

I was quite disheartened and disappointed last Monday when my brother informed me of Dartmouth's decision to cancel its swimming and diving programs at the completion of this season. I might be so humble to say that you are making a huge mistake.

I can certainly appreciate the economic conditions you referenced in your press release but saving $212,000 per year seems like a relatively insignificant sum in the context of the athletic and university-wide budgets, especially since it comes at the cost of sacrificing the livelihoods of 53 of your student-athletes and three coaches. If this decision is purely an economic one, why not consult with Dartmouth alumni, parents, students and athletes for alternate solutions prior to making such a decision? One thing that I've learned as an Ivy league graduate is that alumni are usually more than willing to lend support in situations such as this - all you have to do is ask. Additionally, you have some of the best and brightest students in the world attending your institution and I believe they could have helped conceive other possible options.

Ivy League athletics stand for what is good in college sports. I salute these student-athletes who compete for the love of their respective sports, and in particular, swimmers, who commit to practicing twice a day for eleven months of the year. They don't compete because they receive scholarships and they don't play in front of thousands of fans. Amateur athletics demands of its participants attributes that contribute to the lifelong success of these student-athletes: commitment, discipline, passion, and healthy competition. Canceling Dartmouth's swimming and diving programs robs 53 student-athletes (not to mention the future generations of swimmers and divers) of this invaluable opportunity.

As a former Ivy League athlete, I played a significant role in advising my brother Sean Robinson '05 on his college decision. Sean is an exceptional student and swimmer and he had numerous opportunities to compete on behalf of top-tier institutions. As I had the privilege of playing football at Yale and experiencing first-hand the rigors and rewards of Ivy League athletics, I strongly encouraged him to attend Dartmouth. I was confident that he would have a fulfilling four-year swimming and academic career at Dartmouth. Indeed, he loves Dartmouth and has developed a strong sense of loyalty to the Big Green, but swimming is an extremely meaningful and immeasurable component of his overall collegiate experience. Your decision to cancel the programs has placed Sean and his teammates in the dreadful position of choosing between finishing their swimming careers at other institutions or staying at Dartmouth, the school to which they have committed and represented so well.

It was encouraging last week to see the immediate and overwhelming support from students, athletes, parents and alumni in reaction to your decision. I wish to add my name to that long list of supporters in favor of keeping the Dartmouth swimming and diving programs intact. I am confident that you will see the importance of your decision and hope that you will consider a more favorable outcome.